Fleet vehicle operators have an interest in keeping track of the vehicles and shipments, for compliance with governmental regulations as well as monitor the performance and well-being of their drivers. Fleet vehicles may be equipped with devices that are configured to track the vehicles' geographic locations, speeds, headings, cargo, cargo temperature, engine performance parameters, and other data. Such information is used, for example, to maintain the vehicles, estimate delivery times, provide warning of possible damage to cargo, and to evaluate driver performance.
Collection of fleet vehicle information may also be useful to produce records for compliance with governmental regulations or company requirements. As examples, such records may include the number of miles a delivery vehicle has traveled since its last safety inspection and the number of hours a driver has been on duty since he or she last rested. This information was traditionally recorded on paper, e.g., driver log books, or in proprietary electronic formats. In either case, ensuring compliance with governmental regulations or company requirements may be time consuming and such information may be inconvenient to access or share with regulatory inspectors or other third parties.